The Big Gesture
by baby-blue4
Summary: Chasing Liberty Fic! Updated! Chapter 4 now up!
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own Chasing Liberty, Mandy Moore, or anything else.  I'm not making any money off of this, it would be cool if I was, but I'm not so please don't sue me.  

Summary: What if Ben decided he couldn't go on letting Anna think badly of him, or have a broken heart, so he went to D.C. to find her.  Completely different ending from the movie.

A/N: Don't get me wrong, I thought the movie was really great, but why did it have to be Anna who made the big gesture?  

Chapter 1 The way home 

            "You can go to hell! You and my father both!" Anna's words echoed constantly in Ben's mind as he stared blankly out the window at the dismal gray sky that showed no signs of rain, but no signs of sun.  He pictured her in his mind, and wondered if she would even want to see him, he figured there was a good chance she wouldn't, but he had to try.  After hours on a bus to get the nearest airport Ben was beginning to realize how completely hopeless his whole predicament really was.  Part of him said that he was traipsing halfway around the world for a girl he hardly knew to profess a profound and undying love for her and it was quite likely that she would spit it back out in his face.  

          His other half however said that even if she did spit it right back out at him and told him she never wanted to see him again as long as she lived the trip would have been worth it just to see her.  It also sort of mildly suggested that he deserved what he got for trying to fool her and love her both at once.  It was mostly his fault anyway.  He shook his head as if to clear his mind from the conflicting emotions that seemed to waging a constant war whenever he was conscious enough to be bothered.  

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          Meanwhile, Anna was also staring off into space thinking of one who was far away and she was unable to reach.  She had so many different thoughts about Ben that she hardly knew what was what anymore.  On one hand she was still terribly angry with him for lying to her the way he did and for being so deceitful toward her when she was never anything but honest toward him.  It was something of a terrible annoyance.  Not to mention on the other hand she felt like she would give anything she owned to see again just for a little while.  He owed it to her to at least help her sort out what she was feeling, especially since he was the root of her problems.  

          After crying for the entire 15-hour plane ride home Anna was plainly out of tears.  Despite this, her heart felt just as sick and splintered as it had the first moment she knew Ben was not what he seemed.  It wasn't right.  She was depressed, she hadn't been eating or sleeping regularly, and dreaded leaving her room for even the slightest amount of time.  It wasn't normal, and she had always been so upbeat in the past.  Sure she'd broken up with and been dumped by other guys, but this was different.  This was the first one she'd really been in love with.  She sighed heavily and drew a heart in the fog that had gathered on her window.  "Come find me Ben, wherever you are," she whispered to herself.  


	2. The Deal

Disclaimer: I don't own Chasing Liberty or Mandy Moore and am making no money off of this whatsoever, so please don't sue me.

Summary: What if Ben somehow managed to get into the white house to see Anna and she made him a deal?

A/N: Thank you to my reviewers, or should I say reviewer, and for enjoyment I present Chapter 2!

Chapter 2 The Deal 

          Ben stared glumly through wrought iron bars that made up the fence around the white house.  How could he get in to see Anna?  He certainly didn't have an appointment and probably couldn't have gotten one even if he'd tried.  He looked around and noted that there was security on every corner so sneaking in would be out of the question.  Suddenly he had an idea.  

          He walked up to the guard booth and knocked on the glass.  A chubby man looked up from reading his newspaper and eating a bagel.  He waddled over to the glass.  "Can I help you?" he asked.

          "Yes," said Ben, a grin spreading over his face, "I believe you can.

          Anna sighed deeply as a knock came at the door of her room.  It was probably her mother making sure she was alright, or her father making sure she was still there, for about the tenth time that day.  She rolled her eyes and got up to answer the door.  "Mom I told you I'm fine"- she started before she realized who stood in front of her.  "Ben!" she squealed giving him a big hug and inviting him into her room.  "What are you doing here?"

          "I came to see you actually," he said, a smile playing across his lips.  

          "How did you get in?" Anna asked staring at him intently trying to determine if she was dreaming.  

          "Working for the CIA does have its advantages you know," he said slyly.  

          Anna looked at him hard for a moment, but finally all she said was, "Was there a specific reason you came?" 

          This was the part Ben had been dreading.  He knew it would be uncomfortable, but this was way past that and almost to the point of downright embarrassing, which in all fairness it should have been.  He cleared his throat as he struggled for the right words.  "I came because, well, because I wanted to apologize."  He looked up hopefully only to come face to face with Anna's stoic yet expectant stare.  "And," he continued, "to beg your forgiveness."  

          He managed to raise his head to meet her gaze and found her, to his surprise, to be laughing.  "Ok," she answered.

          "What?" Now he was Ben was really confused.  After all that all she could say was ok?  What was going on here? 

          "Relax," she gave him a reassuring smile.  "I haven't even been out once since the thing with you in Europe.  My parents owe it to me to let me have a little freedom, but for real this time.  Just be here to pick me up at eight tomorrow night.  Oh, but there is one catch, you owe me, too.  So when we go out tomorrow I have total control over where we go, what we do, and how long we stay.  Got it?"  Ben nodded in shock.  He had expected screaming and crying and raw human emotion, but certainly not this.  Still in a daze he turned around and walked out.  

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          The next morning Anna left her room for the first time in several days.  She walked down to breakfast with a bit of a spring in her step so it was evident that she was up to something.  "Good morning, Mom," she said hugging her mother.  "Hi Daddy," she said cheerfully as she kissed him on the cheek.  He parents stared at her with blank faces as if to say, who are you and what have you done with our daughter, which in a sense was more accurate than they knew.  She was a completely different person today than yesterday, and she was a completely different person yesterday than three weeks ago.  She plopped down in the armchair by the table and grinned like a child at Christmas.  Ok, cards on the table, something was definitely up, the only question was, what.  

          Anna took a deep breath and began to speak, "Ok you guys, the truth is I want to go out," she paused waiting for the chorus of objections that would surely follow her statement.  When they did not she continued, "I want to go alone, with no escorts, no CIA agents on every street corner watching every move I make.  I know I haven't exactly been the model child lately, but I deserve this, especially after all I've been through lately, no thanks to you, no offense."  She looked up waiting for the berating to start, but it didn't.  

          President Foster sighed but said, "Who when where?"  Anna gaped for a moment before answering, and even that she did carefully.  

          "I want to go with Ben, you know Agent Caulder, I think we'll leave around eight tonight and be home by no late than eight tomorrow night.  I'm not sure where we're going yet, but wherever it is I promised we'll be safe and very careful.  Plus I'm with a CIA dude, what could happen?  Ok don't answer that, but still.  I know how crazy this all sounds, but I need some real freedom, and what better place to have it than in my home city, where I know where I'm going and what I'm doing and who I'm with.  Come on, for once, just trust me, please."

          To the shock of all who were present, President Foster answered, "Yes."   


	3. a night on the town

Disclaimer: Once again, I don't own Chasing Liberty, any of the characters in Chasing Liberty, or any of the actors who played the characters in Chasing Liberty.

Summary: Is Washington D.C. ready for Anna and Ben?

A/N: I'm trying my best to keep everyone in character, but let me know how you think I'm doing anyway. R & R!

Chapter 3 The Adventure 

          The grandfather clock in the white house lobby struck eight and Anna waited impatiently for Ben to come to the door.  He's probably being strip-searched or something because of my dad's overly cautious, bordering on obsessive-compulsive, security people she thought.  Suddenly there was a knock on the front door.  Anxiously Anna called out, "I'll get it," and ran to do so.  

          "Wow," Ben said the minute he saw Anna open the door, "You look really, really-," he was cut by the President Foster intrusively clearing his throat.  

          Before her dad could get into his I-know-every-cop-in-town-routine Anna decided to take action.  She quickly kissed her dad on the cheek and pulled Ben none too gently by the arm out the door.  As they were climbing onto the bike Ben felt he should speak up.  "So just like that they let you go?" he asked.

          "Yeah, pretty much."

          "Why couldn't they have done that before?"

          "Beats me," Anna replied and then added, "Would you happier if they had and saved you the trouble of all this?" She laughed when she saw the look on Ben's face and it became obvious that she was only pretending to be offended.  "So you want to get out of here or what?" she asked, gesturing toward the motorcycle.  Ben nodded curtly and in seconds they were speeding away.  

          "What are we doing tonight anyway?" Ben asked, "I have to admit I'm a little worried that your in charge."

          Anna smiled innocently and answered, "What don't you trust me?"

          "Not on your life," was the reply but it only served to send her into peals of laughter.  

          And so it began. 


	4. Some Enchanted Evening

Disclaimer: I do own Chasing Liberty, its plot, or its characters, but the guy who plays Ben is sort of hot.

Summary: Anna decides to show Ben a side of Washington he's never seen before.

A/N: I know it's been like forever and a day since I updated last, and if I've lost all my reviewers that would be pretty understandable, but if for some freak accident I haven't, and you're actually reading this, then review it for me!

Chapter Four 

            Ben and Anna decided, or rather Anna decided and dragged Ben along, to have dinner at a quiet restaurant that was relatively tourist free.  She wanted to be able to go just one night without having to sign autographs and pose for pictures.  She wanted to be a normal girl having dinner with her normal boyfriend, instead of the president's daughter having dinner with her secret service bodyguard.  They managed to get seated and order their food without incident.  Things seemed to be going pretty well until Anna spilled her Pena Collate all over herself and her carefully chosen ensemble.  She glared at Ben who tried in vain to stifle his chuckling.  That's when things really started to go amuck.  After the initial draw of attention to the couple, the rest of the room began to whisper. 

            Anna glanced around nervously.  Everything had been going so well and now she had the distinct feeling it was all ruined.  Before she had time to suggest that they leave a rather large woman with wire-rim glasses that must have magnified her eyes to at least twice their normal size was standing before them with a camera. She looked expectantly at Anna, who returned her stare blankly.  This was supposed to be her night to be normal, and damn to the depths anyone who tried to make it otherwise.  She shot a look at Ben who only shrugged to indicate that she was on her own with this one. The woman cleared her throat.

            "Can I help you?" Anna asked with barely masked hostility.

            The woman looked a little miffed.  She stuttered at first, apparently expecting Anna to be far more accommodating.  "I, um, well, actually, I was really hoping… do you think I could get a picture with you?"

            "Do you intend to get a picture with everyone else in this restaurant?" Anna asked curtly.

            "No," the woman answered flatly. 

            "Then no you may not," was Anna's only reply.

            Ben was stunned.  If it hadn't been for their adventure together in Europe even he would have thought, judging from all the television broadcasts and news reports he'd read that she liked all the publicity.  He sat back a moment and admired her.  She certainly was more interesting than she appeared to the public, and hotter too.  Ben shooed that last thought from his mind.  It wouldn't do for him to end up all over her right here.  He was suddenly very acutely aware of almost the entire restaurant staring at them, transfixed.  Gently, he took Anna's hand and said, "Are you to go?" she nodded distracted and they rose to go.  This was definitely not the romantic dinner she'd had in mind. 

            From the back of Ben's motorcycle Anna directed him toward a small Bed & Breakfast on the outskirts of Washington.  It was virtually unknown to the paparazzi and most of the general public.  He looked rather surprised when they pulled up to the converted unremarkable two-story home. 

            "What?" Anna asked, "Suddenly you don't find me enticing anymore?"

            "Definitely not what I was thinking," he answered.  "I'm just surprised that you don't seem to have any resignations about this.  The last time it happened it ended with a chopper dropping down, taking you up, and leaving me to get a substantial amount of dust all over me, including in my mouth and eyes."

            "The last time you deserved it." Anna grinned mischeviously, "Maybe if you behave yourself this time it'll be more enjoyable."  She winked and walked in, leaving Ben to park the bike and wonder if he'd ever even come close to figuring her out.  He sighed and decided probably not, but that didn't mean he couldn't enjoy the time he spent with her.  Letting a wide grin spread over is own face he thought, some of it more than the rest, and followed her inside.  


End file.
